1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication and monitoring systems for vehicles, and more particularly, to an all-in-one communication and monitoring system for interfacing onboard automotive diagnostic systems and remote diagnostic, repair, monitoring and emergency services.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle safety is concern shared among many different groups of people. Such concern not only relates to the drivability of the vehicle, but also to the safety of the driver and any passenger located in the vehicle. For instance, parents are concerned for the safety of their driving-aged children; employers are concerned for the safety of employees driving company vehicles; and rental car companies are concerned for the safety of those renting their vehicles. In many cases, the concerned party is not located in the vehicle, and oftentimes worries that the vehicle is operational and the driver is safe.
In view of the concerns associated with driving a vehicle, various automotive monitoring systems have been implemented into vehicles to provide a resource to a driver who may be in need. An exemplary automotive monitoring system is the OnStar™ system, operated by General Motors Corporation. The system typically includes a wireless appliance installed in the vehicle, wired to the vehicle diagnostic system. The wireless appliance may include, or be wired to a global position satellite (GPS) system, for generating information respecting the location of the vehicle. OnStar™ system also allows remote operation of certain vehicle systems, e.g. unlocking the doors. The OnStar™ service is typically provided on a subscription basis, with the first year being free of charge with the purchase of qualifying vehicles, i.e. typically higher priced vehicles.
Another wireless vehicle system of note is the LoJack™ system for protecting vehicle theft conditions, and monitoring the location of the vehicle in the event that it is stolen or lost. Like the OnStar™ system, the LoJack™ system utilizes a wireless appliance that incorporates a GPS system, communicates to a dedicated receiver, and charges a subscription fee to maintain and support the data link.
While dedicated communication links such as those utilized in the OnStar™ system and the LoJack™ system, can provide useful diagnostic services and security in relation to a variety of circumstances, such systems suffer from a variety of practical and economic factors that tend to limit their use and customer base.
A common shortcoming of such contemporary systems is that they typically require dedicated hardware, e.g. a wireless appliance mounted to a vehicle and electrically connected to the vehicle computer. Such hardware is typically installed by a trained installer or by original car manufacturer. Moreover, the hardware relies upon a dedicated wireless communication link to a specific service provider. Consequently, the user may feel captive to a particular diagnostic subscription service. Such systems may be viewed as expensive, of limited functionality, and tend to be standard equipment only in higher priced vehicles. An additional deficiency commonly associated with many contemporary systems is that operation of the system is dependent upon the associated vehicle. In this respect, if the power on the vehicle should become disabled, the monitoring system may also become disabled. Thus, in the event of an accident which results in a power loss to the vehicle, the monitoring system may be unable to signal for help.
Given the rapid evolution of cellphones, and the proliferation of multiservice cellular telephone networks, the need for accessing a diagnostic system communications link may be better served by cellphones, and which allow a broader choice of contacts. In relation to conventional prior art systems, it would be desirable to provide a diagnostic communication system that does not require mounting to a vehicle chassis, or need installation by a trained installer.
It is desirable to provide a diagnostic communication system that does not require a dedicated communications link, but rather allows a user to connect to a variety of generally available contacts on the cellular network, public telephone network and the internet, without the need for participation in a subscription communication service.
It is further desirable to provide a diagnostic communication system that is installable, removable, hand transportable and connectable to different vehicles, without the need for trained assistance or service registration.
It is also desirable to provide a hand transportable diagnostic communication system that allows for internal storage of vehicle diagnostic information, and transfer of the information, wirelessly and/or manually, to a general purpose computer. Such manual data transport would allow for storage and communication of data to a remote service provider, even when communication via cellular telephone network or local connectivity circuit is unavailable.
As described below, the present invention, in different combination embodiments, addresses these and other improvements to contemporary vehicle diagnostic communication systems, and business methods related thereto.